FALL RIVER — Harold “Jack” Sisson, the former Westport highway chief, was sentenced to two years of probation Friday after being found guilty of larceny of town equipment.

Sisson walked from the courtroom after the sentencing. District Court Judge Julianne Hernon placed him on administrative probation and ordered Sisson to stay away from Westport Town Hall and the town garage.

A district court jury returned a guilty verdict Thursday. They accepted the argument by prosecuting Assistant District Attorney Michael Cahillane that Sisson gave a town tractor to a town mechanic for free and that he tried to hide the transaction by involving an equipment supply company.

“This is a clear case of public corruption,” Cahillane said during the sentencing hearing. “This defendant was in an elected office at the time of the offense. He abused his position.”

Cahillane noted that, before the incident that gave rise to the charges, town officials met with Sisson several times to counsel him about record keeping and financial practices in the town highway department. Sisson ignored the advice and guidance, Cahillane said.

“He chose to run his department as a fiefdom, to continue doing what he wanted to do, in contravention of the law. The town was willing to work with this defendant. To do everything it could to make sure he did his work correctly.”

The jury accepted the case presented by Westport police and Cahillane that in October 2012, Sisson transferred ownership of a mower and attachments to 146 Supply Center in Millbury and directed the company to give the equipment to John Kennedy, a highway department employee, for free.

Westport Detective Jeffrey Majewski investigated the case. He testified during the trial that the equipment was later found at Kennedy’s home on Forge Road in Westport.

Kennedy, who resigned from town employment, agreed in court that the state had sufficient facts to convict him and accepted a year of probation for larceny. Both he and Sisson have conspiracy charges still pending against them.

Cahillane asked the judge to sentence Sisson to six months in the house of correction. Sisson’s lawyer, Emile Morad, asked for a lighter sentence.

“Mr. Sisson accepts the verdict of the jury,” Morad said. “The transfer that took place, obviously, didn’t follow procedure. But it was done for the benefit of the department. Mr. Sisson never tried to hide what he was doing. He went to the police department and told them about it when asked.”

Sisson’s punishment had already started, Morad added.

“He lost his job,” Morad said. “He is unemployed. His pension is held up and might become an issue.”

Page 2 of 2 - The conspiracy charges against Sisson and Kennedy are both pending in district court. Sisson’s lawyer set a Sept. 3 date for a status conference on the case.

Sisson said nothing during the sentencing hearing. Before the hearing, he sat outside the courtroom with family members.

“It’s just politics, that is all it is,” Sisson said.

Hernon also sentenced Sisson to 40 hours of community service. Sisson must pay a $90 court fee and a probation fee of $50 a month during his time on probation.